How to use the Identity Work (Naval Almanack) agent skill

What does the Identity Work skill make the agent do?

An agent skill is a set of instructions that an AI agent loads when a request matches its purpose. This one guides the agent through a structured reflection process. It treats identity as both a trap for your thinking and a lever for your behaviour.

On the thinking side, the skill helps you audit beliefs that are tied to labels, notice what you may be avoiding, and reassess beliefs from first principles. On the behaviour side, it helps you turn a goal into a stated identity, such as announcing a new habit to people you know, and then follow it with 30 days of small actions that match that identity.

• Belief audit: list three beliefs that hang together, and mark which ones were never tested independently or are defending a label.
• Reality check: ask what reality you are avoiding and what the most painful part is pointing to, then admit one point to a trusted person.
• Identity declaration: write a statement in the form 'I am a person who...' and tell at least three people.
• Behaviour backfill: for 30 days, do one small action each day that fits the new identity.

How do you install the Identity Work skill?

The skill is distributed as a ZIP file from this page. You can install it in one of two ways. For Claude Code, unzip the download into your personal skills folder at ~/.claude/skills/, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder if you want it only for that project. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

The package contains three files: SKILL.md (the instructions the agent follows), test-prompts.json (the trigger test cases) and test-results.md (the recorded test outcomes).

How do you trigger the skill with natural requests?

You do not need a special command. Describe the situation in your own words. The skill is designed to respond to moments when you notice you are defending a position, cannot face reality, or keep failing to change yourself. The source also lists keyword signals such as identity, self-deception, and why can't I change.

Good requests describe a pattern rather than a single task. Mention what keeps happening and what you have already tried.

• I keep defending a label I've taken on. Can you help me test whether my beliefs hold up?
• I know I need to deal with this problem but I keep putting it off. What am I avoiding?
• I decided to stop a habit and still cannot stick to it. Can we try a commitment-based approach?
• I think I'm making excuses for myself all the time. Am I deceiving myself?

What does a typical session look like?

The skill follows four steps in order. First it asks you to complete a belief audit. Next it looks for the truth entry point, asking what reality you are avoiding and what the painful part of the situation is telling you. Then it helps you write an identity declaration and share it with at least three people. Finally it sets up 30 days of small actions that match the new identity, so that the message changes from 'I am trying' to 'I am'.

The skill also includes a stopping rule. If the situation involves deep trauma, the agent should stop the self-help process and recommend professional counselling.

What examples does the source give?

The source book describes two cases. In the first, a founder who was failing in business admitted the problem openly to a co-founder and colleagues, on the reasoning that if you do not hide things from others, you will not deceive yourself. In the second, a person who had failed to quit smoking through willpower alone told everyone they knew that they had quit, which turned the public commitment into the constraint on behaviour.

When should you not use this skill?

The skill is not a substitute for therapy. It should not be used for deep trauma or personality-level problems, which the skill says need professional counselling rather than identity declarations. It is also the wrong tool when a concrete external problem must be solved first, because the skill's own approach is to act first and adjust identity later.

The skill's author flags a blind spot as well. For people in minority or disadvantaged groups, giving up group belonging could mean losing real support. Identity change is also not equally feasible for everyone because of social constraints. The skill is clear that its purpose is to clear away identities that trap your thinking, not to deny a real identity you value.

• Deep trauma or personality-level issues: seek professional counselling.
• A practical external problem: solve that first.
• Community or identity ties that give you real support: weigh the cost before letting go.

What are the safety notes and requirements?

The skill lists no requirements. It does not run scripts and does not use the network, according to its listing. Its test results are a self-test, not a blind test: the author notes that an independent sub-agent test was unavailable because of a messaging fault, so those results are less reliable than a blind test would be.

Treat it as a structured reflection tool, not as medical or psychological advice.

• Requires: nothing listed.
• Runs scripts: no.
• Uses network: no.
• Licence: MIT.